West Palm Beach to Patna Flights

  About West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach is a quaint coastal city located in the South Florida region. The city is known for its touristy vibe and the perfect summer vacation spot.

Best time to visit West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach might be an affluent neighbourhood, but it's only perfect for vacations, especially for those who wish to run away from the cold winters. The temperatures in the city can go up to 32 degree Celsius, which is quite high. Thanks to the range of temperatures, it is perfect for a summer break. This easily makes summer the most populated time in West Palm Beach for tourists. Not just people from around the world but people from within the United States, flock over to get some of the sun and wind. Irrespective of the humidity and heat that is prevalent in the air, tourists don't mind as long as they get to have fun in the water. However, to avoid the crowd and the excess heat too, March to May is your best bet. The temperatures are very calm and enough to enjoy the waters and beach. Plus, the season also has some fun events such as the Winter Equestrian Festival, Palm Beach International Boat Show, Palm Beach International Film Festival and most importantly, SunFest. It is the most famous music and art fest that takes place in West Palm Beach every year. Perhaps you might find a like-minded crowd who also plan to head for this festival.

The months following summer in West Palm Beach, from September to November, are also quite pleasant. The temperatures are very soothing, and it poses as the perfect relaxing trip that you have been seeking for. The city also sees a drop in the accommodation prices as hotel bookings in West Palm Beach become cheap and convenient. Plus, as the city gears for the winters, the vibe and atmosphere are also quite likeable. The only big matter of concern during this time, though, is the looming hurricanes. There are high chances of hurricanes lashing over the shores and the city of West Palm Beach, making tourism and travelling for touristy pleasures, not enjoyable. The weather report might even ask you to stay indoors and avoid bad weather. It would certainly dampen the mood, especially for a tourist. Hence, before you do make your trip, ensure to check the weather for all possible concerns that could crop up. Accordingly, make your trip to the city. The city does have fun events during this season with Lagoon Fest and Flavour Palm Beach as the highlights.

Places to visit in West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach is known to be the cultural hub of South Florida, thanks to the plethora of amazing structures and events the city witnesses. West Palm Beach is home to many arts and cultural venues, including museums and societies. You can start with the Norton Museum of Art, where you will find some astounding art collections. Further expanding your art rendezvous, you can visit the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. The city is also acknowledged for its wildlife conservation. Places such as McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary, Lion Country Safari and Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society are some of the establishments that take good care of wildlife and conserve endangered species. With a slew of lovely nature comes some botanical gardens and parks too that add to the charm of West Palm Beach. Mounts Botanical Garden and Okeeheelee Park are some of them that would easily get a tourist's attention for their lovely landscapes and picture-worthy scenery. It basically resonates the beauty of West Palm Beach and shouldn't be missed at any cost.

Things to do in West Palm Beach

The nightlife of West Palm Beach is known through all states. Not just the exquisite food culture but even the nightlife with parties and pub-crawls, all make quite an experience. It would be nice to soak in all the sun and tourist attractions during the day and round up the whole trip by downing good beer and other liquor. Even the shopping scenes in West Palm Beach is a stand-out. You will be thrilled by some of the brands and retail clothing with an amazing collection. Popular places such as Clematis Street and CityPlace are your hub to explore more of the shopaholic in you. There are party bike pub crawls available in the city so you can book a ride for yourself and drink up with total strangers. You can also opt for fishing and catch the famous peacock bass in your expedition. It wouldn't be a total loss to splurge on a cruise trip around the beach.

Food and Restaurants in West Palm Beach

With a proximity to the ocean, West Palm Beach has seafood as its staple food. You will find variations in their curation of dishes with seafood as the base. Interestingly, the food here would do you good. Unlike how the flight tickets to reach West Palm Beach are too steep and unaffordable, the cuisine is cheap. In fact, in competition with Miami and other big cities in Florida, West Palm Beach actually has a reasonable and affordable front in terms of dining. You can order some fancy food at an establishment and still be left with a good amount left in your pockets. This actually gives you enough money to experiment with more food in the coastal city. The best of West Palm can be experienced at some local favourites such as Clematis Street, Tin Fish and Bimini Twist. Grouper and shrimp are the two popular bases of seafood that are produced here and something you'll probably get to enjoy if you don't mind trying something new. Table 26, The Regional Kitchen and Public House are some more local restaurants that offer an exciting melange of flavours in their dishes.

In addition to the lovely seafood that the city makes, they also have reserved food establishments to cater to ethnic restaurants. In fact, these restaurants are quite famous too as the spread ranges from Italian to Greek. In fact, Greek, Italian and Mexican are known to be the most popular and sought-after cuisine after the classic West Palm seafood. Restaurants such as Agora Mediterranean Kitchen, Rocco's Tacos and Tequila Bar and Bellagio are some of the famous food establishments that offer the three cuisines. Thanks to Florida's proximity to Cuba, the city of Wes Palm also sees a good audience for Cuban dishes and liquor. Havana is one such place where you would enjoy the classic Cuban dishes along with some lovely Tequilas. The food culture in West Palm Beach is certainly the kind that would make you and your stomach super happy.

How to reach West Palm Beach

Flight connectivity to West Palm Beach from India is excellent but requires a lot of layovers and patience from the traveller. There are no direct flights to West Palm Beach from India. In fact, reaching West Palm will actually require you to connect with two different flights. Reaching West Palm Beach is quite tough and the connectivity, even though it is decent, is far too time-consuming. Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air Canada, have regular flights connecting West Palm Beach and Delhi. While Qatar Airways has only one layover in Doha, other flights expect to have two layovers in cities such as Boston, Paris, New York City, London, Newark, Washington DC, Chicago and more. Basically, the flights to West Palm Beach take the domestic route with layovers in the cities of the US. The most popular route to West Palm Beach is via Boston and New York. The flight duration is quite a lot depending on which airlines and international route to West Palm Beach you choose. It takes approximately 20 hours to reach, but with layovers and connecting flights, the duration is subject to change.

Many travellers tend to pick Miami as the destination and drive down to West Palm Beach. Flight connectivity to Miami from India and even within the US is easier, hence, this option is considered. A transit visa is required, and travellers must apply for one to ensure that their trip is smooth. Since there are connecting flights to be boarded from cities within the US to reach West Palm Beach, the embassy has made it compulsory for the travellers to hold a visa. The flight tickets to West Palm Beach are a little steep. Thanks to the city being a rich man's paradise, the flight tickets to West Palm Beach basically reflect the same expensive lifestyle. As long as you make prior flight ticket bookings to West Palm Beach, you wouldn't have to worry much. Even in terms of accommodation, the prices could be expensive, but if you book your hotels in West Palm Beach well in advance, that is one thing you wouldn't have to worry about. Steer clear of the peak season as people from the entire East Coast flock over to West Palm Beach for vacation, which could lead to everything turning expensive.

  About Patna

Patna is yet another city that is located along the banks of the river Ganges. It is also the capital of Bihar. The city is not only a popular tourist destination but also has spiritual significance. There are pilgrimage sites for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains, too. It was earlier called as Pataliputra and also had quite a few monuments to its credit. It is a blend of modernization and a glorious past. The Gandhi Ghat is a very popular tourist spot here since the ashes of late Mahatma Gandhi were also immersed here. The Ganga aarti performed here is also one of the highlights of the city.

Best Time to Visit Patna

Like a lot of other cities in India, the best time to visit Patna is also winter. The summer here is extremely hot and the monsoon unfavourable. The city witnesses winter from December to March. This temperature ranges from 12 to 32 degree Celsius during these months, and it is also the most ideal time to go sightseeing. The end of November and the seventh day after Diwali has people of Bihar performing the Chhath Puja. This is also a peak travel time to Patna. Since it is peak travel season, you can find great flight deals to Patna online. Make sure you book your hotel in Patna well in advance. You will also find quite a lot of tour packages during winter and at affordable prices.

July to September is when the city witnesses monsoon. The rainfall is quite irregular in the city, and the temperature reaches up to a maximum of 28 degree Celsius. The city looks beautiful during monsoon, and while it is a pleasant time to visit the city, it might affect your plans to go sightseeing. However, since it is off-season, you might get cheap flight tickets to Patna.

The temperature often soars up to a maximum of 41 degree Celsius during summer. Patna experiences summer from March to June. The heat is so bad that you will get tired and exhausted from sightseeing or even venturing outside soon. Since there are also not that many festivals celebrated during this time, it is not the best time to experience the rich culture and traditions of the city. If you do plan a trip to Patna during summer, make sure you are well-hydrated.

Places to Visit in Patna

Gandhi Ghat is a major tourist attraction in Patna. It is majorly popular because late Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the ghat here, which is also how it got its name. Another major highlight of this ghat is the Ganga aarti that happens in the evening. You'll see approximately 51 lighted lamps held by priests while performing the aarti. It is the most beautiful sight. Patna also has the Bihar Museum for the history geek in you and Patna Planetarium for the ones interested in astronomy. You will have to pay a nominal fee to get into both the places, but it will be totally worth it. You can also visit the Patna Museum, also called Jadu Ghar, which has Indian artefacts that date back to the middle ages and the British Colonial Era. You can visit the Patna Sahib Gurudwara that was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh since Patna is also Guru Gobind Singh Ji's birthplace.

The Srikrishna Science Centre is the perfect place for you to take your kids. The Japanese Peace Pagoda is another tourist spot you must visit. It is a 125 feet tall statue that was built by the Buddh Vihar Society. It is also surrounded by greenery, which makes it a pleasant place to go to in Patna. You can also visit the Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan. It is a botanical garden that was established in 1969, and it is also a zoo. If you are here with your kids, you can also treat them to a toy train ride. Golghar, which is in the heart of the city, was constructed in 1786 by Captain John Garstin and was initially used as a storehouse. If you want to enjoy your solitude and soak in the beautiful scenic view of the city, this is the best place to go to. The Patan Devi Mandir is also a popular place in Patna. Dedicated to Goddess Maa Patneshwari, it is one of the oldest and a sacred place in the city. Locals also believe that the name of the city was derived from the Goddess' name. Chhoti Dargah is another historical site that you must not miss. The 3-storeyed mausoleum is where Makhdum Shah was buried in 1616. It is a popular tourist spot and a place of worship for Muslims.

Things to do in Patna

Patna was earlier called Patalipura and came into existence in the 5th century. While this may not be the best place for adventure lovers, it is apt for a fun, family vacation. You can either hire a taxi to go sightseeing around the city or use the public transport. Golghar is an architectural marvel in Patna. The dome structure was built by Captain John Garstin in 1786. It was used as a granary for the British Army but has now become a historical site. You climb up the spiral stairs inside the Golghar, and you will be treated to a scenic view of the city. Since Patna has a lot of temples, you can also add visiting those in your itinerary. The Sree Patna Sahib Gurudwara is also an important place of worship. You can sit here and meditate for a while after offering your prayers. You can also go to the Pataneshwari temple, dedicated to Goddess Maa Patan Devi.

You must also visit the ruins of Nalanda University. The university was established and run by Buddhist monks and had at least 10,000 students. It was also hosted by Buddha Siddhartha himself. It is about 80 km away from the main city of Patna, and even though it is in ruins, you will enjoy the tranquillity here. Visit the Gandhi Ghat and go boating here. Catch the beautiful sunset while you are boating here. Take an artistic piece of Patna back home with you. Stop by at Ajanta on Fraser Road to buy some genuine Madhubani paintings. The city also has a lot of shopping malls for you to please the shopaholic in you.

Food and Restaurants in Patna

You will mostly only find restaurants and stalls that serve vegetarian food in Patna. Not that you won't find any restaurant that serves non-vegetarian food. You will also get to satisfy your chicken, mutton or seafood cravings here. Litti Chokha is one of the most popular delicacies that you get here. The city is also popular for its desserts and snacks like Gujjia, Kesar Peda, Malpua, Chana Ghugni, Jhaal Mudi, Choora, etc. The street food is just as good as the dine-in restaurants. You will also find restaurants that serve Bengali, North Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines in Patna.

Takshila is one of the most popular restaurants in the city that is within hotel Chanakya. You will absolutely love the Mughlai, Afghan and Tandoori food in this restaurant. Biryani Mahal is another very popular restaurant in the city, so much that you will either have to wait in a long queue to get a decent table or book one in advance. It's not a very big joint, but the food will leave you satiated. Basant Vihar is popular for its paneer cutlets and veg curries. You might have to wait a tad bit to get a table on weekends, but otherwise, you will have a smooth experience here. The city also has popular franchises like Pind Balluchi and Mainland China that serve delicious food with a great ambience. The dine-in experience and the local street food both will make sure that you leave the city happy.

How to reach Patna

By Air

The Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport, also called the Patna Airport, is the nearest airport in Patna that has both domestic and international terminals. The flight connectivity from Patna to other major domestic cities is excellent and quite frequent, too. While there are a lot of direct flights to Patna from major cities, connecting flights from Delhi, Bangalore, Varanasi and Lucknow are popular routes to Patna by air. Direct flights will only take about 2.5-3 hours to land in Patna, depending on which city you board the flight from to get here.

By Rail

Patna is connected to major cities in the country like Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Varanasi, Bangalore, Chennai and Amritsar. Not only express trains, but you will also get super fast trains to and from Patna. It is advisable that you make your ticket bookings to Patna in advance to avoid any last-minute inconveniences.

By Road

NH31 connects Patna to other cities. You will also find a lot of private and government-run buses or taxis from nearby cities that will help you reach Patna or leave from here. Though the bus services are frequent and it is also a far cheaper way to travel, taking a train or a flight would be more convenient than anything else.

  About Patna Airport

Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is predominantly a customs airport with restricted international operations. The airport is located in Patna, the state capital of Bihar. The airport's name came from independence activist, Jayaprakash Narayan. The airport's runway is quite short and cannot accommodate heavy aircraft operations. Hence, it is known to be classified as a restricted international airport. Patna Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country with their passenger traffic increasing by 30.6 per cent, as of 2018-2019. Despite the infrastructural restrictions, the airport has managed to see a spike in the passenger traffic. Hence, the Airport Authority of India has proposed a measure to expand and modernise the external and internal facilities. Expansions projects have already begun and are reportedly set to complete by 2021. Additionally, the airport authority has also planned to develop a joint-use airport to be used by the Bihta Air Force Station too. The plan is to use civil enclave as the second airport for the city of Patna.

About Patna Airport Terminals

Currently, Patna Airport has only one terminal which is divided into domestic and international sections. You can find the arrivals and departures on opposite ends of the terminals. The airport is not massive and is rather stuck between two famous establishments, making expansion plans a challenge. The current runway length stands at 7,000 ft. The surface has been constructed with asphalt and measures about 1,954 x 148 ft. Much recently, the airport managed to complete the new terminal building's parking garage, which now accommodates more vehicles. The new terminal is set to complete construction by 2022. The new terminal is set to have more space and would be able to accommodate more facilities and even passenger traffic. The airport is also rooting to handle more flights, which can be done after the expansion plans are complete.

About airport authority

As part of its expansion plans, the airport currently stands at a runway length of 7,000 ft. The airport is right in the middle of Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan as well as Phulwari Sharif railway station. The terminal building's area is being increased from the current size, which is 7,200 square metres to a new size which will be 57,000 square metres. The new terminal building is slated to have two levels and will be equipped with six aerobridges along with an apron to park about 14 aircraft. Currently, the airport only has a small parking bay to accommodate six aircraft. To conduct expansion work, Patna airport has demolished several of its buildings, including the Airport Colony as well as IAS Bhavan. The airport also plans to accommodate several utility buildings which include the meteorological centre and Bihar Flying Club. Following this, Patna Airport also plans to construct a new Air Traffic Control tower which would be located adjacent to Birla Institute of Technology. A world-class terminal building will also be installed on the premise of the airport.

About 13.1 acres of land that is close to Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is being utilised for the two-levelled terminal building. The Airports Authority of India has also proposed to extend the terminal further, view a view to sustaining air operations. The terminal extension will be completed by 2035 and is set to handle about 6 million passengers in a year. The new terminal building would be connecting to the existing building with the help of a sky bridge. The civil enclave at Bihta Air Force Station is also under construction and stands about 20 km away from the city. The second airport is being worked on to cater to large aircraft. For the same, the Bihar government acquired about 126 acres of land to construct Bihta Airport. The new airport terminal is being designed by Singapore firm Meinhardt, accommodating about 4.5 million passengers annually.

Meanwhile, Nagarjuna Construction Company Limited, a Hyderabad-based firm, has been selected to execute the layout. The new terminal is set to be completed by 2022. Patna Airport also has a multi-level parking garage.

Facilities at Patna Airport

ATMs - Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport has installed domestic ATM kiosk to ensure that passengers can withdraw money when they wish to at the airport. It is a convenient location and is required too. The same can be found at the departures and arrivals of the airport terminal.

Payphone booths - Pay phone booths have also been added to the list of facilities at the airport. The idea behind maintaining phone booths is to help passengers with no mobile phones or networks to make use of the facility. You can make local calls and connect with the required contact to reach within the city. You will need to pay a small nominal fee to avail the benefits of the phone booth.

Forex counters - As the primary international airport in the state, Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport also has currency exchange counters. Travellers who are venturing from outside India can get their currencies exchanged at the airport's arrivals terminal. The facility has been added recently after the airport underwent some refurbishing. At the forex counters, travellers can also transfer money and receive the same from outside the country.

Medical services - Following the mandatory clause to have medical services in the premise of the airport, Patna Airport has also reserved a special room for the same. In case of any medical emergencies at the airport vicinity, one can directly reach out to their medical room for assistance. A team of dedicated professionals are constantly present at the airport in case of emergencies. Also, there are pharmacies present in the departure section of the terminal.

Hotel booking counters - Right outside the arrivals section of the terminal is the travel agent's booth. At the counter, you will be able to make bookings with respect to your travel and accommodation within the city. The agent will provide all the required details to venture within the city. Starting from top attractions in the city to modes of transport that would be convenient, the travel agent would guide you through all the necessary information about the city to ensure that your stay is comfortable and your experience is good.

Child care room - Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport has also allotted rooms for child care. Many travellers who travel with infants often find it challenging to cater to their child's needs in public. Activities such as changing of the diaper and breastfeeding require privacy in a safe and hygienic environment. Hence, the airport has reserved a child care room to enable the same. They have also installed comfortable chairs and changing tables in the rooms. You can find baby products also at the airport's child care room.

Special assistance - You can request for special assistance with your airlines, and the airport staff would be present to help you out. The trained staff will take you through the procedures of security checks and boarding without much hassle. Wheelchairs are also available, and a dedicated professional would accompany you around the Patna Airport.

Baggage - The baggage facilities at Patna Airport are quite exemplary. They cater to all kinds of baggage needs ranging from the wrapping of the luggage to storage. Trolleys are also present at the airport to help travellers take their luggage through the airport facility. You can also opt to store your luggage at a safe spot if your flight witnesses delay or if there are any layovers.

Top airlines flying from Patna Airport

Patna Airport majorly caters to domestic flights and airlines that fly to top cities within India. Although there are a few dedicated international cities in the Middle East that the airport does accommodate, predominantly, it is Indian cities. Airlines such as Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara operate from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. These airlines cater to connect to cities such as Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Surat, Varanasi, Ranchi, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Raipur, Bagdogra and Jaipur. The five airlines have active flights flying to and from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. The schedules of the flight are not limited as the airport can accommodate them. Since the airport has a single terminal, the capacity is considerably limited. However, it is spacious enough to cater to the five airlines that operate from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport.

How to reach Patna Airport

Pre-paid taxis and autos

The most convenient and viable means to reach Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is by auto-rickshaws and pre-paid taxis. Since the airport is perfectly connected by various national highways, it is easy to reach Patna Airport by means of road transport. There are no dedicated bus services that connect to the airport. Pre-paid auto-rickshaws usually have a set fare to reach the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. Hence, it would help if you discussed the rates with the driver before you start your journey. Meanwhile, the taxis are also available in every part of the city. You can hail a cab from anywhere to reach Patna Airport. The airport has also made car rentals available to the travellers. You can book a rental at the airport when you reach the city. The same car can be dropped off at Patna Airport. Although the city does use the iconic horse-drawn trams to travel within the vicinity, the same cannot be used for the airport journey.